The present invention relates to absorbent articles that include a temperature change member. More specifically, the invention relates to an absorbent article such as training pants that provides the wearer with a noticeable temperature change sensation upon urination.
Absorbent articles such as disposable diapers and training pants are useful to absorb and contain body wastes. These products have developed to the extent that urine is quickly drawn and retained away from the wearer's skin so that the wearer remains relatively dry and comfortable. Although this improved performance enhances wearer dryness and comfort, it can reduce the wearer's ability to notice or recognize when urination occurs, especially if the wearer's attention is distracted by an activity. This is not conducive to toilet training because an important step in the early stages of toilet training is the ability to recognize when urination occurs. In an attempt to enhance a child's recognition of when urination occurs, training pants have been designed with temperature change members that provide a temperature change sensation upon urination.
Unfortunately, in certain circumstances, such temperature change members may not be completely satisfactory. For example, in aspects where a particulate temperature change material is utilized in the temperature change member, shake-out of the temperature change material can occur during processing, packaging, or even during use thereby reducing the effectiveness of the temperature change member. Moreover, depending on the configuration of the temperature change member, it may be difficult to incorporate into an article with a high-speed manufacturing process.
As discussed above, typical absorbent articles (e.g., disposable diapers and training pants) are designed to quickly draw urine away from a wearer's skin so that the wearer remains relatively dry and comfortable. One of the drawbacks with such exceptional dryness and comfort is that it can negatively impact toilet training because there can be a reduction in the wearer's ability to recognize when urination occurs. A wearer's ability to recognize when urination occurs is an important step in the early stages of toilet training.
As mentioned previously, some absorbent articles (e.g., training pants) include a temperature change substance that facilitates toilet training. The ability of an absorbent article to draw urine quickly away from a wearer's skin often limits the ability of the temperature change substance to cool the skin. The effectiveness of a temperature change substance may be limited because upon urination the urine engages the temperature change substance and absorbed too quickly into the absorbent assembly. The urine and the dissolved temperature change substance can be absorbed into the absorbent assembly so quickly that there may be not be enough time for the temperature change substance to generate a sufficient cooling sensation and thereby provide an adequate indication that urination has occurred.
Some absorbent articles attempt to prevent the liquid from being collected in the absorbent assembly too quickly by placing an impermeable layer between the temperature change substance and the absorbent assembly. The impermeable layer prevents the dissolved temperature change substance from flowing directly into the absorbent assembly.
One of the drawbacks with adding an impermeable layer between the temperature change substance and the absorbent assembly is that the liquid (i.e., urine and dissolved temperature change substance) can be held against the skin for too long a period of time. Therefore, the addition of the impermeable layer can counteract one of the overall purposes of the absorbent article which is to keep the skin relatively dry and comfortable.
Thus, there is a need for an absorbent article with a temperature change member that is capable of suitably retaining the temperature change material within the temperature change member during manufacture, packaging and during use. Further, there is a need for an absorbent article with a temperature change member that may be easily processed and incorporated into an article by a high-speed manufacturing process. Still further there is a need for such temperature change members that provide these advantages and yet effectively provides a temperature change sensation to the wearer during use.
The absorbent article should be able to provide a sufficient cooling sensation to a wearer without causing the wearer prolonged discomfort. The absorbent article should allow liquid to be held in proximity to the temperature change substance so that the temperature change substance is readily dissolved in the liquid (e.g., urine). In addition, the absorbent article should position the liquid against the skin for enough time to generate an adequate temperature sensation to the wearer, but not for too long a time such that the wearer experiences problems from overexposure to moisture.